


In Victory, and in Defeat

by JehBeeEh



Series: I am under-prepared, but I am willing [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon Divergence - Post-Iron Man 1, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Thor is a Good Bro (Marvel), Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 10:22:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29187750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JehBeeEh/pseuds/JehBeeEh
Summary: The Battle of New York seems all but lost. Until it isn't. And Tony can't risk saving the world without knowing the answer to a very important question first.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: I am under-prepared, but I am willing [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2136618
Comments: 17
Kudos: 159
Collections: Tony Stark Bingo Mark IV





	In Victory, and in Defeat

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for the kind comments on this little project. They've warmed me to the core, you have no idea!!!
> 
> The origin of this prompt was a proposal during a seemingly lost battle. Then I realized I'd have to write a fight scene. And THEN I realized I had the perfect setting right in front of me :) Hope you enjoy this possibly familiar scene ;)
> 
> Using this fic for Tony Stark Bingo - Free Square  
> Name of Piece: In Victory, and in Defeat  
> Card Number: 4058  
> Name of Participant: JehBeeEh  
> Square Number: FREE  
> Rating: T  
> Pairing: Steve/Tony  
> Warning: None  
> Summary: The Battle of New York seems all but lost. Until it isn't. And Tony can't risk saving the world without knowing the answer to a very important question first.  
> WC: 2146

_ Shit _ , Tony thought to himself as Nick’s words rattled in his brain.  _ This is not how today was supposed to go _ .

He talked it out with JARVIS and figured out his plan of attack –  _ Take THAT Cap! I can think of- Shit, Steve!  _ He couldn’t execute this one without at least warning Captain America, much less Steve Rogers.

“Hey Cap,” Tony chimed in on the Comms. “I need you to switch to the private channel.”

He heard Steve swing and launch his shield, the vision of it easy to conjure up in his mind’s eye. “Not the time, Iron Man,” he gritted out. “I’m sure this can wait.”

“Guys, I have the scepter, I can close this thing,” Black Widow cut in.

“And Nat, don't close the portal just yet. Steve, it can’t wait. Please,” Tony pleaded quietly, knowing this would get Cap’s attention.

In the two years since Captain America had been found in the ice and miraculously brought back to the land of the living, Steve and Tony had grown close. When Nick Fury had showed up and offered for Tony to join his Avengers Initiative, Tony never imagined how that conversation would change his life. Tony had declined joining Fury’s ‘super-secret boyband’ as he so fondly called it, until Fury had played his wild card.

_ “We found him,” he’d simply told Tony in his usual casual tone that made him sound like he didn’t give a shit and yet knew he was dropping a bombshell all at once. _

_ Tony had turned, knowing there was only one ‘him’ he could be referencing. _

_ “When?” was all Tony could ask. _

_ “Couple of days ago. Still thawing him out, but he’s alive. And I need you to help me  _ acquaint _ him with the new century.” _

Tony had wanted to say no. He really, really had. But the scientific implications of this were too great to pass up. He agreed and soon was working directly with Steve Rogers on a 21 st century crash course. They grew closer and closer as Tony discovered the object keeping him alive was also killing him. Steve helped Tony through it, and they slowly fell in love.

_ What’s another near-death experience in the grand scheme of things? _ Tony thought ruefully, knowing full well the odds of this one weren't so much ‘near’ and closer to ‘almost certain’.

JARVIS connected them and reminded Tony time was lapsing quickly.

“Are you okay? What’s going on?” Steve asked with a slight edge to his voice that hadn’t been there before.

No point beating around the bush on this one. “There’s a nuke coming in.”

“ _ What? _ How’s that- call Fury!” Steve was understandably furious. Ever since he’d been brought back, he’d had trust issues with SHIELD that he couldn’t quite explain. This definitely wouldn’t help.

“He’s the one that just told me. Look, nothing we can do, it’s on the way, okay? And I happen to know just where to put it. Steve, I think it’s a one-way trip.”

The statement had caught Steve off guard because Tony heard him grunt as if he’d been hit before he spoke. “Tony, no. You can’t-“

“I  _ have _ to. We both know we can’t let the council destroy the whole east coast if there’s a way to avoid it and win this.” Tony heard the resigned sigh coming on the other end of the line, even as he knew his boyfriend was trying to find another solution. “Steve, you know I’m right,” Tony added softly.

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Steve replied just as quietly.

“I know, it must be so hard on your ego to know I’m right and you’re wrong,” Tony teased humourlessly, a sad smile pulling at his lips. “I had to ask you this and I’ll understand 100% if you want to say no-“

“You’re damn right, I’m saying no. You shouldn’t be doing this!” Steve cut him off quickly.

“Not up for debate and not what I meant.” Tony took a steadying breath as the missile came into view. “Either I’m the only one about to die, or we all are. And I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but I don’t want to leave you a widower, that feels kinda selfish. Although, at your age, I guess it wouldn’t be super uncommon-“

“Tony what are you rambling on about?”

“Steven Grant Rogers, will you marry me?”

The comms line was eerily quiet, save for far away noises of the Chitauri and other Avengers fighting. Tony hoped the question hadn’t meant Steve got knocked out.

“Steve? Sweetheart, you there?” Tony gritted out as he veered course to follow the incoming missile and steer it where he needed it to go.

“Yeah, I’m- you just caught me off guard. I want to marry you. Yes." Tony smiled even as he heard the shield connect with more of the alien creatures. " You're not selfish, honey. I don’t think we can find someone to marry us on such short notice, so I wouldn't be a widow and I wouldn't care if I were. But yes, Tony. My answer’s yes.”

“Well… If you’re okay with a quickie wedding and no bouquet toss or cake or anything, I feel like a God might be able to help us out on this one?”

Tony could hear Steve punching and slamming enemies before an answer came. “Huh. Worth asking.”

“Seriously? You’re not-“

“Sir, I’m afraid we only have 3 minutes left before detonation,” JARVIS chimed into their ears.

“Okay, um J, put me back on Comms1, please?” The sounds of their teammates calling out information and patterns filled his ears in seconds. “Hey Thor?”

“Yes, Man of Iron?”

“Quick question – are you able to marry people?”

“Why, yes. I do plan on one day offering my hand and heart to lady Jane-“

“No, I mean, could you officiate. Like marry me to someone else right now. In like, 2 minutes.”

“But of course! And whom is the lucky Midgardian you wish to betroth?”

“That would be me,” Steve called out at the end of a groan.

“Need you to make it quick, Buddy. And, JARVIS, please record this. Digital Signature code Alpha Romeo One One Seven Tango Sierra, send it to Pepper when it’s done, get any necessary paperwork signed. Steve gets everything-”

“Tony, no. You’ll be fine.”

“Security blanket, covering our bases, that’s all. She’ll know what to do. Okay, Thunder from Down Under. You’re up.”

“Do you, Anthony, son of Stark, take our fearless Captain, Steven, to be your wedded husband, to cherish in love and in friendship, in strength and in weakness, in victory and in defeat, in joy and in sorrow, to love him fully and completely, today, tomorrow, and for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” Tony replied around a lump he hadn’t expected to form in his throat as the Tower came into view and he knew Steve was somewhere below him now.

“And you, Steven, son of Rogers. Do you take our Man of Iron, Anthony, as your wedded husband, to cherish in love and in friendship, in strength and in weakness, in victory and in defeat, in joy and in sorrow, to love him fully and completely, today, tomorrow, and for as long as you both shall live?”

“I absolutely do,” Steve replied earnestly, sniffling following his answer on the comms from their teammates.

“By the power bestowed upon me by my Father Odin, King of Asgard, by the Nine Realms, and the planet of Midgard, I declare you married. May no mortal or God try to divide what has been joined together here today.”

“I love you, Steven,” Tony whispered.

“I love you always, Anthony,” Steve replied. “You come back to me, okay?”

“I’ll do my best, but you have to promise you’ll close the portal as soon as you can.”

“Tony-“

“Natasha, promise.”

“I promise, Tony. But hurry up and get your ass back down here,” Natasha replied tightly.

“Sure. You guys take care of Steve for me, ‘kay?” Tony asked as he started aiming upwards to the portal above the city. “We haven't gotten through all the seasons of Friends yet, and he still hasn’t discovered LolCatz either.”

“Sir, -’m afr-d I’- lost con- the t-,” JARVIS sounded choppily. And just like that, Tony was alone.

Tony tried not to think too much of what he had gotten himself into and what may happen as he passed through the portal into the vast emptiness of space. Or, not so empty space, as a veritable armada lay before him. He felt the armour start to seize. He pushed the missile forward before he couldn't move any longer.

The last thing he remembered as he felt himself start to free fall was thinking of waking up next to Steve at his Malibu house before all this happened and the pure happiness he'd felt.

“I’m sorry, Steve,” he muttered before everything went blank.

* * *

“Sure. You guys take care of Steve fo-“ Tony started saying when the audio cut off.

“Tony, you get back to me safely, you hear me?” Steve replied sternly, but the only sounds he heard was Natasha, Clint, and Thor arguing the same point, even though it was obviously no use.

“Captain, I’ve just lost all contact with Mr. Stark,” JARVIS announced, marvelling Steve as always with how much he truly sounded apologetic and sad about this fact.

“Keep trying, JARVIS, please,” Steve mumbled before ducking to the side, unable to look up any longer.

Within seconds, the remaining Chitauri around and above them started falling to the ground. Steve looked out in awe as tears started stinging his eyes.

“Good job, honey,” he whispered under a sigh as Thor landed next to him. Before he could open his mouth and have to make the call he didn’t want to have to make, Natasha beat him to it.

“Steve, I have to…”

“Yeah, Nat. Close it.” Steve felt Thor’s hand on his shoulder, squeezing firmly. “Thanks, for earlier,” he told his teammate, truly grateful to have had that moment with Tony.

“It was my honour and privilege, Captain,” Thor replied, his usually booming voice quieter and more subdued.

“Hey Cap? You might want to have a looksee up there,” Clint chimed in on comms.

Steve looked up above the Tower and didn’t see much. Until a beam of sunlight caught metal, and he spotted an object rapidly plummeting towards earth.

“Son of a…” Steve felt an odd mixture of relief and absolute dread as the object that definitely was the Iron Man armour kept free-falling. “JARVIS? Is that- Is Tony-“

“I have no reading on Mr Stark or the suit, I’m afraid Captain,” JARVIS replied.

“Why isn’t he slowing down?” Steve breathed out, his chest tightening uncomfortably at the sight of Tony – his  _ husband _ – crashing to the ground. Before he could ask, Thor had started winding Mjolnir, ready to take off just as Hulk flew in from who-where and caught Tony.

He landed several feet away from Steve and Thor, who sprinted towards them, Steve thanking him profusely in the process as he deposited the lifeless armour on the ground. Thor pulled off the face plate and when Tony didn’t respond or react no matter how much Steve tried to coax him to, Hulk let out a roar that was likely heard all over the city.

Tony startled awake, much to Steve’s great relief.

“Whoa! What’d I miss? Please tell me nobody kissed me?” Tony exclaimed as his eyes landed on Steve. “I didn’t miss our first kiss as husbands, did I?”

Steve shook his head before leaning down and bringing their lips together and kissing his husband fiercely. “Not allowed to die before kissing your husband for the first time,” Steve teased him playfully before kissing him again.

Tony smiled at him. “You’re really stuck with me now, huh? We should take a vacation. Just us.”

Steve rolled his eyes fondly. “Like a honeymoon?”

“Yeah, that. Can find a nice beach somewhere. Just us. No world ending disasters.”

“No self-sacrificing for a little bit.”

“Deal. But I gotta eat first. Anyone else hungry? I saw a shawarma place down the road. Not quite sure what it is, but I kinda wanna try it.”

“Stop talking. Rest for just a minute, please. You just plummeted to your almost-death.”

“Make me,  _ husband. _ ” Tony smirked as Steve kissed him again.

“This is what the rest of our life is gonna be like, huh?” Steve teased.

“You say that like I’m the only self-sacrificing idiot in this marriage,” Tony snorted. “Something tells me we haven’t seen the last of those guys though.”

“Shh, honey. We can worry about that later. But, the good news is, we’ll be ready for them. And they won’t stand a damned chance ‘cause we’ll be here, and we’ll fight them off. Together.”


End file.
